'Have but patience, and I will come.'

Soon afterwards Huldbrand saw two white horses appear through the
trees. Then a wagon covered with a great white hood was to be seen,
and last of all the driver, who was dressed in a white carter's frock.

The driver drew near to the knight and tried to help him to quiet his
frightened steed.

'Do you know, Sir Knight, why your good horse shivers thus?' asked the
carter, 'for if not I can tell you. A bad water spirit dwells in this
valley, and often he would bewitch my horses when first I ventured
through it. But now I have learned a little spell. If you wish it, I
will whisper it in the ear of your steed, and he will stand steady as
my greys.'

'You may try your spell,' said the knight, 'though I fear that it will
be of but little use.'

Then the driver of the wagon went quietly up to the panting steed, and
said a few words to it. At once the horse stood still, without a trace
of the fear which had made it so restless and unmanageable.

Huldbrand had no time to wonder what the wagoner had said to his
horse. He was too eager to get Bertalda out of the valley to think of
anything else.

'My wagon will take the fair lady safely back to Ringstetten,' said
the wagoner. 'She may sit in it in comfort, for it is filled with bags
of the softest cotton.'